Automatic signal



May 3 1927.

P. c. ENNS AUTOMATIC SIGNAL 4 ,Sheets-She et 1 Filed Nov. 8, 1923 INVENT'UR P5577775.

May 3, 1927.

P. c. ENNS AUTOMATIC SIGNAL Filed Nov. 8, 1923 4 Shets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR- Patented May 3, 1927.

UNITE- rice;

' AUTOMATIC. SIGNAL- Application filed November 8 1923, Serial No. 673,498, and in Canada March 31, 1923. i

The present invention relates vto automatic signals and particularly "appertains to that class of device which is audible.

A. further object of my invention is the provision of such a'd'evice that is train'controlled. I

A further: object of my invention istthe provision of such a device that is carried by 'a railway train and is thrown into operation by a depending member striking against or engaging with some ground member or'sto p positioned on the track.

A still further object, of my invention is the provision of such a device wherein a specified signal may be produced at a'nydesired place by the train passing a stop cated lthereat. V

WVith these and other objects in view my invention resides in the construction, combination and arrangement of the cooperating parts as shall be hereinafter more fully: described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the claims hereunto appended; In the drawings 5 wherein like characters, of reference designate, like parts throughout the several views,

Figure l is an elevation of a truck showing the preferredembodimentof my'device, Figure 2 is a longitudinal section oflthe truck shown. in Figure 1,

Figured is an enlarged detailed eleva: tion showing-a portion of the same truck ini dotted form and illustrating the signal device in definite outline,

"Figure 4 isja plan of tv fragment of {railway trackwith the stopldevice "ijnzposition,

"Figure 5 is aperspective'of railway'track with the stop device in position, 1

Figure 6 is an enlarged perspective of the stop device,

Figure 7 is a detail of the trigger,

Figure 8 isa detail of the device des gned to reset the clutch controlled shaft,

,"Figure 9 is a detailiof the roller-carrying socketthat engages with the whistle-actuatins t 'Figure =10is an-eleva'tion of the clutch andcam mounted on the shaft,

-Figure 11 is a vertical section of the clutch, I

Figure l21is a side elevation of the male portion vof,-the clutch, i

Figure 13 is, a side'felevation of thefemale portion'offthe clutch, and fliligure lLis a side elevation of the cam.

In the drawings, the numeral 15, designates the trigger and the numerall6 the trip or stop.' This trigger 15- hangs fromthe truck 17 and when the said truck passes over that part of the track 18 alongslde o1 whlch the trip 16 is arranged, the said'trigger'15fengage's with the'trip 16. "This trigger '15, asillustrated in Figure '7, is provided with means '19 to allow it-to yield when acted on'from the reverse side, so thatthe trigger will'not cause operation of the signal" when the train I backs up, hutpnly whenthe saidt-rigger 15 engagesiwith the trip 16 when the trainis advancing. fllheshaft -15 of-the trigger 15 'is journaled beneath the truck, as at'116, and has an inturned crankiport-iond'?" adapteddto normallyengag'e and hold the spring con trolled lever 20 inoperative. When the trigger is-tr pped by the trip 16-,fthe crank portion 17" {is movedfrom engagement with the lever 20. This lever'20'ispositioned in t'he'male portion 2-1 ofthe clutch denoted in general bythe numeral 20,'-which, due to the eccentric location of its pivot-pin 22 and the tension of the coil spring- 19, moves radlally outward "from the centre ofthe clutch 21 so that the stud 23, ;positoned proximate to the outerend of the said lever 20, engages with the scallops or recesses 18 arrangedabout-"theinside of the periphery .of theflange 22" of thedisk 24, forming-the female portion of the clutch;

"The engaging clut-ch inembers 21 and 24, together with the 'cam 25, are neunted on the shaft 26; the inalemeniber 21 offthe clutch and the can a-re'ke-yed to the said shaft 126 as at 50 a-11d51 whilefthe female portion 24:- of the clutch, provided with 'collars '52, rides free'thereon; Keyed to an axle of'the truck l7isjthe -large gear wheel that is adapted to mesh with or otherwise actuate thezfemale clutch-membenQl, the outer .rim of which is provided with gear teeth 53.

" As will be obvious, when the train is in motion the gear 27 rotates the clutch meni- 1 her 24;'when*the-trigger 15 .is tripped by-the stop 16, that horlzontal crank portion 17 that holds the lever'2O inactive, is moved out of engagement with the said lever,-'the end of which is thrown outwardly, causing the engagement ofthe clutch and the forced m'otion of the male clutchinember- 2'1, keyed to 't heshaft' :26, rotates the cam "25 and connected to this beam, intermediate the braces 39, are the coacting levers 41 and 42, which constitute the stop proper, the oppo- It is desired that the gearing 31, if such site ends of which levers are pivotally joined be deemed necessary intermediate the gear wheel 27 and the clutch member 24 may be such as will properly time or regulate'the rotation of the shaft 26 to allow of the cam producing the required signal.

This cam, as designed and shown in Figure 14, is intended to cause a certain timing of the mechanism 28 to operate the control valve 29 to produce the conventional cross road signal and it is obvious that, if

the mechanism 28 connecting the valve 29 with the operation of the cam 25, is set to be normally seated as at 32, intermediate a large and small eminence or extension 54,

' and the cam 25 turns in the direction, as indic ated by the arrow to bring the large ex tension into prior engagement, the rising and falling of the rollei carrying socket 33, adapted to ride the circumference of this cam, will actuate the member 28 to operate the pipe valve to produce a specific audible signal. If the desired signal be two long and two short emissions, a suitable cam may be designed to produce such. I

After striking the stop 16 and so causing engagement with the clutch mechanism it is preferred that besides the power of gravity, some auxiliary agent, suchas spring 14 or the like, be employed to bring the trigger 15 back to rest in its normal hanging position as soon as possible, so that the horizontal crank portion 17, that engages with the lever 20, may be bearing against the circum ference 34 of the male clutch member 21 by i the time the said clutch member has described three quarters of a revolution; the obj eot of this is to permit of theimmediate disengagement of the stud 23 from the recesses 18 of the disk 24 or female portion of the clutch,

.on the completion of a revolution, and consequently of the male clutch member and the shaft 26 to which it is keyed. The release, and coming to rest, of the shaft 26 and also of the cam 25, is attended by the operation of the reset device35, as shown in Figure 8, which is adapted to govern the rotative position of the shaft 26' so that the hollow or depression 32 of the cam may be normally carrying thesocket roller 33 and so be properly set for the ensuing operations. This reset device 35 is mounted on an end of the these supports carry the beam 40. Pivotally by the connecting strip 43. Running longitudinally of and below the beam are the rods 44, having their inner ends pivotally connected, as at to the lower ends of the levers 41 and 42, and their opposite ends slidably mounted in the sleeve brackets 46, positioned on the uprights 46 that rise at each end from the base members 47, and coiled about these rods are the tension springs 48 secured to the uprights 46 at their outer ends and the connections 45 at their inner ends.

This construction is designed to lend a cushion effect to the striking of the depending trigger 15 and to minimize the resulting ar.

In the event of this device being employed as a cross-road, or similar signalling means, or where it be considered advisable to provide some automatically operated device, to allow of the exoneration of the train operator, in case of collisions or accidents, it is desired that it be so constructed that access to disassembly or its rending inoperative may be through a minimum of entrances and that all such accessible points be provided with some conventional means for sealing as shown at 50 in Figures 4 and 6. While it will appear, from the fact that the operation is through the medium of an air or steam line 30, that my preferred form of signal is'a whistle, it is understood that the mechanism 28 may bring into actuation any suitable form of audible signal. From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings it will be obvious that an automatic, audible signal is provided which will fulfill all the necessary requirements of such a device, and it should be understood in this connection that various minor changes in the detail of construction may be resorted to, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit, or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention. i

'What I claim is, 1

1. An automatic signal controlling mechanism, including a main shaft, a clutch comprising male and female members; the former of which is keyed to said shaft while the latter rides free thereon, said female member having an interiorly notched flange, a spring-tensioned lever eccentrically pivoted to said male member, said lever havinga laterally projecting stud at its outer end, adapted to engage the notches of said flange to establish connection between the male and female members, a driving gear adapted to rotate said female member, a second shaft trigger at one end, a crank formed in said second shaft adapted to engage and normally hold said lever in an inoperative position, a trip for actuating said trigger, a cam keyed on said main shaft, and signal operating means actuated by said cam.

2. An automatic signal controlling mechanism, including a main shaft, a female clutch member mounted to ride free on said shaft, driving means for said female clutch member, a male clutch member keyed on said shaft having means for inter-engagement with said female clutch member, a

second shaft having a crank portion adapted to normally hold said clutch members out of engagement, a trigger'associated With one end of said second shaft, a trip for actuating said trigger, a cam keyed on said main shaft, and signal operating means actuated by said cam.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

PETER C. ENNS. 

